TournaChess

FIDE Integration

TournaChess supports FIDE-rated events with ID validation, rating retrieval, and title display. Whether you are running a FIDE-only section or a dual-rated USCF+FIDE event, the platform handles the FIDE data alongside USCF data.

FIDE ID Validation

Players can link their FIDE ID to their TournaChess profile or enter it during tournament registration. TournaChess validates the FIDE ID against the FIDE database and retrieves the player's name, federation, ratings, and title. If the ID is not found, a warning is displayed so you can follow up with the player.

Missing FIDE IDs

A FIDE-rated section cannot rate a player who has no FIDE ID at all, so a blank ID is flagged rather than left to be noticed. Any player in a FIDE-rated or USCF+FIDE dual-rated section without a FIDE ID gets a red X beside their (empty) FIDE ID, with a tooltip explaining that an ID is required for them to be FIDE rated.

This most often happens with walk-ins added by hand on the day of the event, where it is easy to save the registration before the ID has been collected. The flag appears everywhere you review the field — the registrations tab, the stacked player list on phones and tablets, and the player's registration details — so you can catch it before pairing the round rather than after.

The flag is shown only to tournament directors and above, and only while the tournament is still running; it is dropped for withdrawn players and for completed events, whose data is historical.

FIDE Rating Display

FIDE ratings are shown alongside or instead of USCF ratings depending on the section's rating type:

  • FIDE-rated sections: FIDE ratings are the primary rating displayed in entry lists, pairings, and standings.
  • USCF+FIDE dual-rated sections: Both USCF and FIDE ratings are displayed, giving you and your players a complete picture of the field.

TournaChess retrieves FIDE standard, rapid, and blitz ratings. The appropriate rating type is selected based on the section's time control category.

FIDE ratings display

FIDE Titles

FIDE titles are displayed next to player names throughout the platform. Supported titles include:

  • GM (Grandmaster), IM (International Master), FM (FIDE Master), CM (Candidate Master)
  • WGM (Woman Grandmaster), WIM (Woman International Master), WFM (Woman FIDE Master), WCM (Woman Candidate Master)

Title information is retrieved automatically when the FIDE ID is validated. If a player holds both a USCF title and a FIDE title, both are displayed.

Correcting a Title

FIDE's published data lags a title awarded at a recent congress by several weeks, so a newly minted title may not reach TournaChess in time for your event. Any tournament director can set the title by hand: open the player's registration details, find the FIDE Title row, and choose the correct title -- or No title if one was detected in error.

A player can hold an open title and a woman title at the same time -- an IM who is also a WGM -- so the row offers them as two separate groups and you can pick one from each. FIDE awards one title per group, so choosing a second within a group replaces the first; clicking the title already set clears it. Both titles are displayed next to the player's name, the same as when they are detected automatically.

A title you set is yours to keep. Refreshing ratings, for the player, the section, or the whole tournament, leaves it exactly as you set it rather than replacing it with what FIDE currently publishes. When FIDE catches up and you want automatic detection back, choose Automatic (from FIDE) in the same row.

Compliance with FIDE Rules

FIDE's General Regulations (updated March 1, 2026) define three levels of tournaments with different equipment requirements:

  • Level 1 (L1): Endorsed Products are required unless waived by FIDE Council.
  • Level 2 (L2): Endorsed Products are recommended. Accepted Products are tolerated.
  • Level 3 (L3): Endorsed and Accepted Products are recommended. Self-Declared Compliant Products are tolerated. The Chief Arbiter can authorize the use of equipment lacking the prescribed acceptance level.

TournaChess is suitable for Level 3 tournaments -- events that do not grant international title norms. For L3 events, the Chief Arbiter has the authority to approve the use of TournaChess even while our formal certification is in progress.

TournaChess has registered as a manufacturer with FIDE and is working through the process to become a Self-Declared Compliant Product. Once that designation is complete, we intend to pursue further formal review and testing to achieve compliance for Level 2 tournaments.

Pairing engine: TournaChess uses bbpPairings as its Swiss pairing engine when the FIDE Dutch pairing system is selected. bbpPairings is the same engine used by other FIDE-endorsed pairing programs and is designed to produce pairings compliant with FIDE's Dutch system rules. We believe our pairings are FIDE-compliant when the FIDE Dutch system is used.

Dual-Rated Sections (USCF+FIDE)

Dual-rated sections (USCF+FIDE) bring both rating systems together in a single section. TournaChess provides rating lookups, display, pairing, and export capabilities to support organizers running dual-rated events. However, it is ultimately the responsibility of the chief arbiter to ensure that all relevant USCF and FIDE rules are followed, including how results are submitted to USCF.

When you create a dual-rated section, you configure which rating system the pairing algorithm uses for seeding. The default is USCF, but you can switch to FIDE if desired.

USCF Requirements for Dual-Rated Events

USCF's FIDE-rated tournament guidelines state: "US Chess requires that all FIDE rated tournaments be submitted to US Chess for processing using a FIDE Endorsed Pairing Program." In practice, this currently means SwissSys is the expected program.

TournaChess gets as close as we can to this requirement:

  • Same pairing engine: TournaChess uses bbpPairings, the same underlying Swiss pairing engine used by SwissSys and other FIDE-endorsed programs.
  • Compatible export formats: TournaChess supports exporting results in SJSON format, one of the formats SwissSys can load and produce. This can be used to load a tournament in SwissSys to validate that SwissSys produces the same results.

However, TournaChess itself is not a FIDE-endorsed pairing program. It is the responsibility of the Chief Arbiter to ensure that pairings are FIDE-compliant and, where required by USCF policy, that submission requirements are met. Tournament directors running dual-rated events should be aware of this distinction and plan accordingly.

Note: If you need a FIDE ID, your national chess federation can assist with the registration process. In the United States, contact US Chess to obtain a FIDE ID.

Results Export

For FIDE-rated sections, TournaChess supports the following export formats:

  • TRF Export -- Generates a TRF16 (Tournament Report Format) file per section. This is the standard format used by FIDE for tournament reporting.

For USCF+FIDE dual-rated sections, additional formats are available:

  • USCF Export -- DBF files for submission to the USCF online portal.
  • SJSON Export -- A file that SwissSys can load for validation. The SJSON format includes both USCF and FIDE data. Note that USCF dual-rated submission guidelines say the results must then be exported from SwissSys before submission.

Note: TRF export should not be used to submit USCF+FIDE dual-rated results to USCF -- use SJSON for that instead.

Export results

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I run a FIDE-rated section without USCF?

Yes. You can set a section's rating type to FIDE-Rated, and only FIDE ratings will be used for pairings and display. USCF IDs and memberships are not required for FIDE-only sections.

Still have questions? Visit our Contact page to get in touch with TournaChess support.

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